8 Years of The Flexible PA: The Things I Never Expected to Learn

November 2025 marked eight years of The Flexible PA, which still feels surreal when I think back to how it all started.

Because for me, it didn’t begin with a bold business plan or a “follow your dreams” speech. It began with me, lying in bed awake at 1am (in my in-laws house as we were also midway through a home renovation that we couldn't afford and with two small humans to care for), replying to work emails I shouldn’t have been dealing with in the first place. I was exhausted, stressed, and so used to toxic workplaces that I genuinely thought this was just… normal.

My husband said what I really needed to hear: “Enough. This isn’t normal. You need to get out.”

The relief! I realised I didn’t have to keep burning myself out for businesses that didn’t value balance, boundaries, or basic respect. I could take everything I was good at, everything I enjoyed, and build something on my own terms.

So I did.

Very quietly at first.

But with a conviction I hadn’t felt in years.

Eight years later, here we are.

Those early days

In the beginning, “flexible” meant me doing absolutely everything at every hour, replying to clients from my car, juggling tasks, and pretending I wasn’t still figuring it all out. There was no grand vision yet, just a deep desire to help business owners breathe again (and to be able to contribute to the bills).

But what I didn’t expect was how invested I’d become.

How a client’s win would feel like my win.

How their stress would become mine until I fixed it.

How genuinely proud I’d be watching their businesses grow.

That connection has always been the heartbeat of this business.

What eight years actually teaches you

Running a business gives you confidence, humility, and the occasional identity crisis - sometimes all in the same week. But it also teaches you things you don’t forget.

You cannot, and should not, do it all:

I didn’t start out as a good delegator. (Said every business owner ever.)

But over time, I realised that trying to do everything myself wasn’t noble, it was noisy. And exhausting. And completely unnecessary.

The moment I started outsourcing my own workload, everything changed. And funnily enough, that’s exactly what my clients experience too.

The right clients feel like a partnership:

Some clients want tasks done. My clients want someone they can trust with the whole picture.

The best relationships I’ve had — and still have — are with established, ambitious business owners who know what they need and value the support. They let us in, trust us and treat us like part of their business, not a temp.

Boundaries are a business strategy:

I didn’t have great boundaries in the beginning (hello, 1am email trauma). But eight years in, I finally understand that boundaries aren’t harsh; they’re how you stay effective.

Saying “yes” to everything dilutes you. Saying “no” to the wrong things protects you. And clients respect you far more for it.

You need your people:

The Flexible PA isn’t just me anymore, and that’s something I’m really proud of. The team behind the scenes blows me away with their skill, reliability, and genuine care for the businesses we support.

Letting go of certain tasks felt terrifying at first. But trusting others with my clients, my processes, and my reputation has been one of the most rewarding decisions I’ve ever made.

Where we’re heading now

This eighth year feels like a levelling up!

We’re clearer than ever about who we serve best: established business owners who are ready to outsource properly. Not hesitantly. Not with micromanagement. Properly.

And my role is shifting too - more mentoring, more strategic oversight, more matchmaking between clients and VAs so the partnership genuinely works for both sides.

The Flexible PA has grown bigger than me, in the best possible way.

A little thank you

Whether you’ve worked with me, cheered from the sidelines, or simply liked the occasional post — thank you. From the bottom of my heart.

Eight years in, I still love what I do. I’m still proud of the business I’ve built. And I’m still excited (and slightly terrified, but in a good way) for whatever comes next.